The application of viscous liquids such as adhesives, sealants, etc., using automated fluid dispensers is known. The automated fluid dispenser typically forces a viscous liquid through a nozzle and onto a component such as a panel, window frame, door frame, and the like. In addition, assembly line manufacturing uses automated fluid dispensers to apply viscous liquids onto components assembled on the assembly line.
Robots are also used in assembly line operations to increase production efficiency and quality, reduce overall costs and the like. However, robots have limitations when a “human touch” is needed to perform a particular operation. For example, the application of a strip or bead of sealant around an edge portion of a panel can require the flexibility of a human arm and/or wrist in order to provide a smooth bead of the sealant onto the panel. In addition, the use of robots to hold the panel and/or a fluid dispenser and move one relative to the other as a viscous liquid is applied to the panel can result in undesirable vibrations of the panel and/or dispenser, respectively, thereby causing a wavy or rough surfaced bead to be applied to the panel.
Looking particularly at FIGS. 1 and 2, a prior art embodiment of an automated fluid dispenser is shown generally at reference numeral 10 where a viscous liquid 350 is applied to a panel 200 using a robot 100 and a fluid dispenser 300. As shown in this figure, the fluid dispenser 300 is held in a fixed position by a support 310 while the panel 200 is moved underneath the dispenser 300 and the viscous liquid 350 is forced through a nozzle 330 and nozzle tip 340. It is appreciated that the fluid dispensing valve 320 can be in fluid communication with a reservoir of the viscous liquid 350.
The robot 100 can have one or more clamps 110 that grasp the panel 200, the clamps 110 being attached to one or more arms 120. With the rotation of the arms 120 about an axis 102 in a first direction 1 and movement of a main robot arm 130 in a second direction 2, the robot 100 can move the panel 200 underneath the nozzle tip 340 along a predetermined path at a predetermined speed while the viscous liquid 350 is applied to an edge region 210. However, vibration of the panel 200 during application of the viscous liquid 350 can result in a surface 352 that is wavy with low regions 351 and high regions 353 as shown in FIG. 2. Such a wavy surface can be unattractive if visible to an individual and/or provide a non-uniform surface that can result in a poor seal between the panel 200 and a mating component (not shown). As such, a fluid dispenser that provides a smooth bead onto a component with the use of a robot would be desirable.